Religion and Politics from a Young Christian in Northern Virginia

Stimpson: Howell is My Mentor Who I Call Regularly for Advice

March 16th, 2013

A month ago I posted a mailer of Stimpson and Howell endorsing Allen in the senate primary, and asked how she could claim to be Anti-Establishment. Her supporters responded by strongly telling me I was wrong, and that her connection with Howell wasn’t that strong. Earlier this month I posted a joint mailer Stimpson and Howell sent when there was no upcoming election in which they praised each other, and in that post I pointed out the incredible support Howell gave to Stimpson’s Supervisor race. Stimpson’s supporters argued even stronger that I was taking things out of context, and that Stimpson is an independent who will stand up to Bill Howell when she is Lieutenant Governor.

Now I present to you Susan Stimpson in her own words.

Before I progress, I want to point something out. I do not object to having a Lieutenant Governor who has a good working relationship with Bill Howell. The next Lieutenant Governor better have that. What I object to is 1.) someone who is disingenuous about her relationship with the Speaker and 2.) someone who is unable or unwilling to stand up to him when elected. Tragically Susan is both of these.

Susan Stimpson is a woman who remember’s where she came from, and she knows and readily admits that she is where she is because of Bill Howell’s support and mentorship. He is also someone she readily calls for advice. When you watch the full speech, it is clear that Bill Howell is the person who has had the greatest influence on her of anyone in Stafford County.

If Stimpson wants to argue that she will stand up to Bill Howell when elected, then clearly she has forgotten “where she came from,” something she claimed only a year and a half ago she doesn’t do.

To me Stimpson’s recent Anti-Howell rhetoric seems like political opportunism and disloyalty not any sort of principled stand. Bill Howell hasn’t changed much in the last year and a half. What is Stimpson going to do when she get’s to Richmond? Is she going to call Howell for advice if we elect her? Do you really believe that someone Stimpson considers her mentor, owes her seat to, and relies on for advice is someone she can say no to when push comes to shove?

Some things are just a bit too hard to believe…

Either she isn’t who she claims to be, lied a year and a half ago about Howell, or had quite the opportunistic political conversion.

UPDATE: Stimpson supporters are claiming this article doesn’t matter since a rift developed between Stimspon and Howell in early 2012. It was clearly after the spring 2012 photo shoot which means the supposed rift took place right before she announced for LG in the summer of 2012. This “rift” sounds like an opportunistic political conversion reminiscent of Romney’s pre-election position changes. That response sure doesn’t help me trust Stimpson.

Trust me, I know exactly where you’re coming from. I thought that someone who was so close to Speaker Howell could never possibly represent my brand of politics. After all, she supported the removal of Jeff Frederick, which is something I vehemently opposed (and still believe to be a huge injustice to the thousands of activists that voted for him).

In the intervening years, I have watched Susan up close. And when I say up close, I mean really up close…as a member of the electoral board in Stafford, I am one of those people who have had to stand before her with a budget proposal. What I’ve seen is a woman who withstands no end of pressure and hectoring to stick with her principles. She refuses to depart from those principles no matter who is bringing pressure to bear against her, including Speaker Howell.

She was indeed close to Howell, as his district completely enveloped hers and he was (and still is) the biggest fish in that pond. But at EVERY turn (except as it relates to Jeff) she has taken the more conservative road than him, even when it means that she no longer receives his money or the money of those close to him. You may think that the LG race is the only time she’s departed from him, but that’s just not true. She has done it many times, and often on items where the Speaker has staked a personal interest in an issue. She’s her own woman, and she’s a pro-convention, fire breathing conservative. I don’t think there is any other candidate for any office this year except Obenshain who has come out as a solid convention supporter. She event supports a convention for her own supervisor seat!! Can you name any other elected official running that supports a convention?

Yes, she made a mistake in speaking out about Jeff. I don’t forgive her for that, and will always keep a close eye on her in that respect. But everything else she’s done says she’s one of us. Which is why so many movement types are lining up behind her. If she pays homage and respect to Bill Howell (who happens to be personally just about the most charming politician in the state, and truly the most popular elected official in Stafford) I think she can be forgiven that as a fellow Republican and member of the Stafford Board of Supervisors. If that’s not enough, I point you to the fact that she was alone among LG candidates for calling out Howell and McDonnell by name on the taxportation bill…they may be friends, but she has more loyalty to her principles and those who elected her, and she called them to the carpet when they screwed up. I guarantee you she’s not Howell’s pick for LG…I think that honor belongs to someone to the northwest of Stafford.

I don’t pretend that I can change your vote, but I hope that I can change your mind at least a little. Susan is the real deal.

Your friend,

-Steve

williedeutsch

Steve,

Can you point to anything verifiable? Other than the UDAs, everything I see points in the opposite direction. If she is a firebreathing conservative, the record of her fighting that fight should be busting at the seems. I’ve been looking for months, but I’ts been impossible for me to see or for Stimpson supporters to point out. Also, the Howell connection is more than just working with the most powerful Republican. I get that. I’ve been involved in the 10th Congressional District for quite a few years. But this is over the top mutual gushing support….

discard HOAs

UDAs became “optional” on July 1, 2012 under SB 274 & HB 869. Also, she was on the redistricting committee hand selected by the Chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors at the time. This Chairman selected himself as the Chairman of the redistricting committee and gerrymandered the entire county starting with his district that only grew in population, four percent (4%) from 2001-2010. She was President of her HOA (Houses Of Aristocrats) ensuring that no nails were loose in your gutters. As for pressure, pressure makes diamonds which she flaunts but pressure also makes coal which can keep you behind warm in winter…

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Bloom/100000531415874 John Bloom

Way to go Mr. Deutsch. This should be a TRUST issue, is there anyone that really believes if Susan Stimpson had to break the tie breaking vote for the Transportation Bill that was introduced by her MENTOR, William Howell, she would not vote for it? It is foolish for anyone to believe that one so close to Delegate Howell, would not do his bidding. Even if one were to believe she would not do his bidding, why take such a risk, especially with 6 candidates to choose from, for LT Governor? Why choose the obvious ESTABLISHMENT Candidate? BTW, if she was so against the Transportation Bill, why didn’t she object the moment HER MENTOR introduced it? Was that merely a lack of leadership or did the Establishment have her tongue?